Mentorship—A Lifelong Tradition in the Fire Service
Our predecessors in the American Fire Service have laid the groundwork for us to be where we are today. The heroes of the past have learned the trade through trials and tribulations, and they handed that experience and knowledge down through generations.
Traditions are a large part of the fire service and mentorship is one of the longest-lasting practices. Statistics have shown that the number of fires has decreased over the years and today’s firefighters are not seeing the fires we once did. This means that most firefighters today are not getting the same amount of experience or on-the-job training.
Mentorship can bridge that experience gap. Many departments have adopted a formal mentorship program in which they pair a new firefighter with a more tenured and experienced firefighter. Other departments trust that a mentorship will form organically between the different tenured firefighters. Both outcomes serve pivotal roles in the development of new firefighters in every aspect of the job. Mentorship is not solely interdepartmental; many firefighters acquire mentors from outside of their organizations and have multiple mentors for various things. A good mentor will stick with you throughout your entire career.
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When I was a new firefighter, my department did not have a formal mentorship program. As rookies, it was up to us to learn the ropes from station to station, typically by trial and error. I did not know what I did not know at this point. Things that are, for the most part, common knowledge to me now were not as widely known, and if they were, I had not heard of them. Something as simple as ‘shut up and listen’ was unbeknownst to me. Luckily, I was placed around a group of guys that took me under their wing and had no problems putting me in my place and mentoring me.
I was someone who wanted to prove my worth with my words before the crew saw my work. One day I had a driver and firefighter pull me to the side and explain to me that they cared about me and my success within the department and gave me actionable steps to help me be successful. At this moment, I saw the value of mentorship. They became mentors to me. I went to them for advice and developed a relationship with them. To this day, they are my go-to guys for anything I have going on, from struggles to success. They introduced me to classes, conferences and training, and led me down the path to get me where I am today. Without their mentorship I would not be a fraction of the fireman or leader that I am today. For this reason, I place so much value on not only being a mentor but seeking mentors as well.
AN IDEAL MENTOR
A mentor should be a firefighter who has experience, knowledge, and a passion for helping others succeed. Someone dedicated to adding value to someone’s life, whether it’s helping them perfect the technique of forcing a door, throwing a ladder, or making coffee the way the guys in the firehouse like it. Another word for mentorship could simply be ‘relationship.’ After all, with no relationship, no mentorship exists. Mentorships ride solely on trust and communication. The mentor must first communicate to their mentee that they care, not only about their success in the fire service, but also their life outside of the fire service.
The mentor must look at the mentorship as an investment in the future of the department and their mentees’ life. The development of newer firefighters is essential to the continued growth and success of the fire department. A good mentor can relay information in a way that is well received, have patience, and are understanding. They will invest in their mentee’s personal development as well, making sure they are experiencing growth and ensuring they have a safe place to turn when faced with hardships on and off the job.
As a new firefighter you are considered unconsciously incompetent. In other words, you don’t know what you don’t know. The role of the mentor is to push you to the level of unconscious competence, being so aware of your knowledge and skills that they become second nature. Mentorship allows new firefighters to get to that level of unconscious competence faster, where they no longer must figure things out entirely on their own. Mentors can explain what they have learned to new firefighters through evaluated experience. By sharing knowledge and experience, mentors can help equip new firefighters with the tools to be successful on the job.
FORMAL MENTORSHIPS
What does a formal mentorship program do for the existing department personnel? For one, it gives the senior firefighters who are not yet in a formal leadership position a sense of ownership and responsibility. Everyone wants to feel valued, and entrusting a senior firefighter with the title of ‘mentor’ will prove to be invaluable in the way they carry themselves and how they approach the job. The mentor gets to teach and show the new firefighters the ins and outs of the job and give them everything they need to succeed, which does not end in the firehouse. A mentorship program lays the foundation for a new generation of firefighters to successfully fill the shoes of those who came before them, and one day, becoming mentors themselves.
To re-emphasize, mentorship is built on communication and trust. New firefighters are often experiencing daily trauma and witnessing devastating situations for the first time. A mentor who has gained their mentee’s trust can become a safe place for their mentee to discuss their feelings about difficult calls. This is essential for long-term mental health and can prove to be beneficial to new firefighters and how they deal with the trauma we face on the job.
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES
Many experienced firefighters have found value in finding mentors outside of their organization. I personally believe that this is essential for exponential growth as firefighters all the way up to the chief officer level. Chances are, none of us are the most experienced or are considered subject matter experts in our field. By seeking out more experienced individuals and experts, we only enhance our growth.
We can also observe the ways other firefighters work in different parts of our state or throughout the country to help us better serve the citizens in our own areas. The reality is that, due to new fire codes and newly constructed buildings, many departments are seeing fewer fires than they had in the past, and even compared to other regions. This is good news. But, also, with fewer fires comes less experience. Learning from an organization with a greater number of fires can help us to be more prepared for the calls we receive.
As a company officer or even a chief officer, we oftentimes get limited feedback within our organization. Communicating successes, failures, and experiences to firefighters, officers, or chiefs outside of our organization with more experience or knowledge can help departments improve at a greater rate than simply with independent trial and error.
FINDING A MENTOR
Seeking a mentor can be daunting and uncomfortable but behind most successful people is someone who helped them get there. Successful firemen understand the importance of mentorship, and, chances are, they would be more than willing to be a mentor. Find someone you think would be a good mentor, initiate a conversation with them, and work on getting to know them personally.
This is not something that happens overnight. It takes time. Be prepared, know what questions you would like to ask them, and when they give you an answer write it down if feasible. But be yourself and work on developing a relationship, which oftentimes requires taking mental notes. Take their answers and apply them to your life. When you speak to them next, reiterate what they told you, and explain how you have implemented it into your life. Stay curious, grow your relationship, ask more questions, and repeat.
ACCOUNTABILITY
In the background of every successful mentorship is accountability. As a mentor, you must first be responsible to what you are teaching your mentee, and to the best of your ability, you must represent what you are coaching. Company officers and administration must also support mentors in holding mentees accountable to help them improve. As a mentee, you must be able to accept constructive criticism and to be held accountable. You must trust that your mentor’s advice is rooted in experience and genuine care for your professional development.
As long as fires stay limited and newer buildings continue to be built, mentorship will always be a necessary part of the fire service. Without it, we will never progress any further than those who came before us. Mentorship equips us faster for the problems we face in the fire service. As firefighters, we must intentionally seek out mentors who will help us with every facet of the job. Then, we may reach our full potential as firefighters.
John Velez is a tailboard firefighter with the Longview Fire Department in East Texas. His passion for the fire service drives him to continually improve his skills and add value to those around him. As the host of the Tailboard Misfits Podcast, John challenges fellow firefighters to challenge the status quo and commit themselves to be the firefighter the fire service needs. Through mentorship and a dedication to learning, he aims to inspire positive change within the fire service and strengthen the community he serves.
